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Teach A Man To Fish?

24 February 2011

Every now and again, Team Freerice receives emails from people who want to know why we provide rice to the hungry instead of educating them about self-sustainability. Almost all of these people quote that old saying: "Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for life".

We do our best to respond, emphasising that the World Food Programme has long-term solutions in place such as School Meals or Purchase for Progress - but often people need food urgently, such as in emergency situations, before they can face the task of rebuilding their lives.

Fortunately, the World Food Programme has published a great video that explains this in a clear way. Please feel free to share it with your students, your friends and family:

I completely agree with this video. Besides all this though, there is another reason why you can't just "teach a man to fish". Sometimes there's just not enough "fish" in the area. Sure, every ecosystem has some form of edible life, but there may not be very much, especially if you can't grow or make it yourself. Thank you Freerice, WFA, sponsors, donors, and Freerice players for helping these people around the world. By the way, worldhelp.net is a great place to go if you want to give more than just rice. It is a central place for organizations such as Causelife or the Children of the World Choir. If you're reading this, I challenge you to check it out sometime. You might just save a life.

I think that teaching " a man to fish" would definitely be long lasting, but I agree with whoever said that you must have strength to provide food for yourself, and thats what these people need-strength. That is why Free rice is so great, and everyone who helps is helping a great cause!

I enjoy doing Free Rice every day and have earned over 400,000 points or grains of rice, but today, I can't get the site to do anything. I've rebooted a number of times, and still nothing happens when I click on an answer! Help!!

I like how WFP addressed the question. It doesn't have to be one or the other; certain tactics are better for certain situations, and around the world right now, there are people in every stage of this progression.

I agree. I am glad to be a part of FreeRice, and to participate in helping others. It's a good feeling- that you are helping someone every time you click the correct answer.
Everyone learns- even if they do not fully know it! You may just be repeating something you already know...or maybe that "unnecessary" repetition is what helps you to get it right the next time.

I think that by providing food as a short term objective, the basis for the long term objs are constructed. It's on Maslow's scale of needs and it would be difficult to teach hungry people anything. Once the basic need are satisfied they will be able to go further.